1. Technical Field
The present application relates generally to an improved data processing system and method. More specifically, the present application is directed to a method, apparatus, and computer program product for scheduling and reserving virtual meeting locations in a calendaring application.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been a surge in the popularity of three-dimensional (3D) virtual world environments. A massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) is an online computer or console game in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world. As in all role playing games (RPGs), players assume the role of a character and take control over most of that character's actions. The virtual world may be a fantasy setting, a science fiction universe, or the old west, for example. With the rising acceptance of person computers, as well as increased graphical capabilities of personal computers and video game consoles, massively multiplayer online role playing games have become wildly popular around the world. In fact, part of the draw of massively multiplayer online role playing games is that players from any continent may be online at any given time.
Other vehicles for social interaction on the Internet have also become popular, such as chat rooms, message boards, instant messaging clients, Web logs (blogs), photo blogs, and the like. The idea of virtual world environments has expanded beyond role playing games. Popular virtual world environments today provide a manner in which users can interact in a “virtual world” that is not necessarily very different from the “real world.” Users may create an avatar that represents them in the virtual world. Users may then create an apartment, buy clothing, decorate their apartments, meet with other users, trade items, create items, etc., all within the virtual world.
One popular virtual world application is the Second Life® online virtual world, which has more than one million members and more people and companies joining every day. “SECOND LIFE” is a registered trademark of Linden labs, Inc. One of the uses of these three dimensional virtual world environments is to allow for people from around the world to have places where they can meet. Business entities have created large auditoriums and meeting rooms within these worlds to allow for meetings between colleagues.